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This study examined the relationship between the subjective food intake of 30 food types and their objective bite force to identify the key food items within the 30 food types to achieve a greater depth of masticatory function in Korean adults. A sample of 308 (112 males and 196 females) adults over the age of 20 (average age, 48.6) was selected among patients who visited four dental hospitals in Seoul, Korea. The subjective masticatory ability was evaluated through an interview with food intake ability questionnaires consisting of 30 food types ranging from hard to soft using a five-step Likert scale. The objective maximal bite force was measured using pressure-sensitive films. The relationship between the food intake ability and bite force was analysed and stratified according to age, gender, number of post-canine teeth lost and several clinical oral health indicators. The key foods were selected using correlation and factor analysis. The subjective food intake ability between the 30 foods and key foods were tested by cluster and one-way anova analysis. The Pearson's correlation coefficient between food intake ability and bite force was 0.45 (P < 0.01). The five key food items selected were dried cuttlefish, raw carrot, dried peanut, cubed white radish kimchi and caramel. The correlation coefficient between the food intake ability and bite force of these items was 0.51 (P < 0.01). These results suggest that the subjective food intake ability using the 30 and five key foods can be used to evaluate the masticatory function in Korean adults.

This study evaluated the effects of the short-term use of a dentifrice containing nano-sized carbonate apatite (n-CAP) on the occlusion of the dentinal tubules using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an image analyser in vitro. One hundred human dentine specimens were wet ground with a silicone carbide papers and etched with 6% citric acid for 1 min to allow complete opening of the dentinal tubule. Specimens showing complete opening tubules were used as the baseline. The specimens were divided randomly into five groups: G1: 0% n-CAP, G2: 5% n-CAP, G3: 10% n-CAP, G4: 20% n-CAP and G5: 10%strontium chloride (SrCl(2)). Five specimens from each group were brushed by applying 50, 100, 250 and 500 strokes, respectively. All the specimens were evaluated by a SEM (x3000), and the degree of occlusion of the dentinal tubules was quantified using an image analyser. The results were analysed by one-way anova and a Tukey's test using the spss 12.0 statistical package program. The dentifrice containing 20% n-CAP for 50 strokes, which indicated 2-day use, showed the highest tubular occlusion than the other groups (P < 0.05). Moreover, this group showed 79.5% and 77.4% less open tubular area than the baseline and 0% n-CAP group, respectively. The groups containing various concentrations of n-CAP showed significant differences in the SrCl(2) group after tooth-brushing for 500 strokes, which indicated 17-day use. According to this examination of the short-term use of desensitizing dentifrices in vitro, the dentifrice containing 20% n-CAP was the most effective in occluding the dentinal tubules.

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